Session 2

Food Policy Councils (FPCs) can develop different types of relationships with local institutions. In some cases, FPCs are officially recognized and supported by local administrations, which may even provide formal spaces and dedicated personnel to facilitate their activities. The main advantage of this model is that FPCs become embedded within the local bureaucracy, making urban food policy a distinct and visible element of municipal governance. However, a key limitation is that electoral cycles can significantly influence the council’s vision, objectives, and operations.

• The experience of Valencia FPC is presented in this session.

By contrast, in other cases, FPCs operate independently from local institutions, representing only the interests and vision of food system stakeholders. This model’s strength lies in its ability to avoid short-term political agendas and instead propose innovative solutions driven by stakeholder commitment. However, a drawback is that such FPCs may lack representativeness across the entire food system and risk fostering divisions that are difficult to translate into policy and regulations without institutional support.

• The case of the Luxemburg FPC well illustrates how to operate outside of the local administration, trying to engage food system actors.